Senate confirms Markwayne Mullin to be DHS secretary, replacing Kristi Noem

The Senate voted Monday to confirm Markwayne Mullin to lead the Department of Homeland Security as the shutdown of the sprawling agency dragged into its sixth week with no end in sight.

The vote to confirm Mullin, a Republican senator from Oklahoma, as the head of DHS was 54-45, with Sens. John Fetterman, D-Pa., and Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., supporting his confirmation.

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., the chairman of the panel overseeing DHS, voted against Mullin on Monday after he clashed with him at his hearing last week and questioned whether a man with “anger issues” could be trusted to set a good example for ICE and Border Patrol agents.

Mullin, a staunch supporter of President Donald Trump on Capitol Hill, takes the reins at DHS during a volatile time for the agency. He replaces Secretary Kristi Noem, his former House colleague, whom Trump fired about six weeks after DHS agents shot and killed two American citizens during immigration enforcement operations in Minneapolis.

In the wake of the killings of Rene Good and Alex Pretti, Democrats withheld their votes and forced a shutdown of DHS after Republicans refused to give into their demands to rein in ICE and Customs and Border Protection.

Mullin’s confirmation is unlikely to unlock a deal, as Democrats have made it clear that their opposition to funding DHS is about policy, not personnel. They insist they won’t provide enough support to reach the crucial 60-vote threshold to pass the bill unless Republicans agree to add restrictions on ICE and Border Patrol agents — such as wearing identification, removing masks and requiring judicial warrants for them to conduct raids on private property.

Still, Mullin’s new position of power will test his clout in the Senate as lawmakers desperately seek to end the shutdown.

Because of the shutdown, thousands of TSA agents and other DHS employees are working without pay. And high rates of absences have resulted in long security lines at airports around the country. More than 400 TSA officers have quit since the shutdown began.

“He’s a courageous person,” Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said of his colleague Mullin. “It’s a very challenging job under the best of circumstances, and this may not be the best of circumstances.”

Mullin has publicly suggested he’s familiar with the “smell” and “taste” of war, even though he hasn’t served in the military. Senators grilled him about a foreign trip he said he was asked in 2015 to take as a member of the House, which he said was classified. He declined to provide details, saying he would discuss it in only a private setting. Democratic senators walked away from the meeting in a classified setting with more questions than answers, they said.

“When I heard President Trump would be nominating Sen. Mullin, I kept an open mind. However, throughout the nomination process, he has failed to be forthright and transparent,” said Gary Peters of Michigan, the top Democrat on the Senate Homeland Security Committee. “Sen. Mullin also showed that he doesn’t have the experience or the temperament to lead this critical department.”

Some Democrats who voted against Mullin said their opposition wasn’t personal. They strongly object to how the Trump administration has been carrying out ICE raids in Minneapolis and other parts of the country.

“I had a very long conversation” with Mullin, said Sen. Andy Kim, D-N.J., a former Obama national security official who is on the Homeland Security Committee. “A lot of this is just so deep to the core of the administration in terms of the problems. It really stems [from] Stephen Miller and Donald Trump.” Miller is the White House deputy chief of staff for policy and homeland security adviser.

Mullin, 48, is a former professional mixed martial arts fighter who has bonded with Trump over the years at various wrestling events. He made a small fortune through his family’s plumbing business and won election to the House in 2012.

A decade later, he won a special election to replace GOP Sen. Jim Inhofe, who had announced he would resign with four years left in his term. Mullin is a member of the Cherokee Nation.

While Fetterman signaled early on that he would support Mullin, Heinrich’s vote to confirm him wasn’t widely expected.

“This is going to surprise some people, but I consider Markwayne Mullin a friend,” Heinrich said in a statement, citing bills they have worked on together and calling him a principled voice. “I have also seen first-hand that Markwayne is not someone who can simply be bullied into changing his views, and I look forward to having a Secretary who doesn’t take their orders from Stephen Miller.”

ICE officers aren't trained in airport security. Can they help ease long lines?

Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers have been deployed to select airports across the country, where they are meant to help mitigate long lines fueled by staffing shortfalls caused by a partial government shutdown.

But ICE officers are not trained in aviation safety and their central role in President Donald Trump’s contentious immigration enforcement agenda is raising questions about how effective their assistance might be in easing wait times — and whether it could stoke tensions with travelers.

The government has given few details on what immigration officers will do and Trump has suggested that airports were “fertile ground” for immigration enforcement, although he said ICE was only there to help.

ICE officers on Monday were seen standing near security lines and checkpoints and so far were not screening passengers. Long wait times continued at some airports.

Analysts who follow the industry say there are limits to how much ICE can really assist.

An imperfect solution to a staffing crunch

Substituting ICE for Transportation Security Administration workers is an imperfect solution for an increasingly dire travel situation, said Keith Jeffries, a former head of TSA security at Los Angeles International Airport.

“Can they do some of the duties? Perhaps,” said Jeffries, who is now a vice president at K2 Security Screening, which installs airport equipment.

“There is just zero chance for them to be operating X-rays, conducting bag checks and pat-downs,” said Jeffries, saying that TSA agents receive lengthy classroom training in security screening procedures, followed by “weeks or months” of on-the-job training.

Trump’s border czar Tom Homan on Sunday said immigration officers could staff exit lanes, freeing up some TSA agents to work security.

Zach Griff, author of the travel industry blog “From the Tray Table,” said he was “encouraged” by the potential of using ICE officers to assist TSA although he stressed that he didn’t see their deployment as a real solution to the problems at airports.

Like Jeffries, he stressed that it’s much harder to integrate ICE officers or anyone else into baggage screening, which is the core of what TSA agents do.

“That is a specialized training process that the TSA goes through with all of its agents. That’s not something that they can just kind of spin up,” Griff said.

ICE officers receive specialized training of their own that has little to do with airport security.

ICE includes Homeland Security Investigations agents and deportation officers with Enforcement and Removal Operations. Both receive basic training in areas like firearms and driving, but deportation officers focus on immigration law, while HSI agents train for longer, complex criminal investigations, and some work within airports.

ICE officers and their tactics, including aggressive arrest sweeps and the expansion of certain powers to make arrests, have come under fierce scrutiny since the Trump administration launched immigration crackdowns in multiple cities last year.

San Francisco 9 hours ago

ICE officers arrest 2 people at San Francisco International Airport, DHS says

ICE presence at airports could stoke tensions

ICE officers could help provide crowd control for the mammoth security lines that in recent days have wound around airport terminals and spilled outside buildings, said Jeffries.

But ICE’s presence, Jeffries noted, could invite protesters who have sometimes dogged their enforcement actions, which could pull even more airport security resources away from passenger screening. Notably, on Sunday, Lauren Bis of the Department of Homeland Security cited security reasons for declining to disclose which airports would have ICE officers the next day.

Bringing ICE officers, who are typically armed, into the airport at a time when tensions are high over immigration enforcement might not sit well with a lot of people, Griff noted.

“There are going to be people who are going to be uncomfortable seeing ICE agents at the airport,” said Griff.

Trump on Monday suggested there could be immigration arrests at airports, which he called “fertile territory” for ICE’s operations. But, he added, “that’s not why they’re there, they’re really there to help.”

ICE is at the center of the partial shutdown

Trump also waded into a central issue fueling the funding battle in Congress — masks worn by ICE officers. In a social media post Monday, Trump said he supports officers wearing masks when arresting “hardened criminals,” but said he would “greatly appreciate, however, NO MASKS” when helping alleviate problems at the airports.

Masks worn by ICE officers have become a flashpoint of controversy in the immigration debate. Critics say masks allow ICE officers to hide from accountability if they violate people’s rights. ICE’s leadership says they are necessary to protect the officers from doxxing.

Among other demands, Democrats want ICE officers to be barred from wearing masks before they agree to fund the Department of Homeland Security, what would restore payment for TSA workers.

Democrats have raised concerns about deploying ICE to airports.

“Everywhere ICE goes, trouble follows,” said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. “We’ve seen that, and it is highly likely the airports will be no exception. No one trusts that ICE is going to make things better.”

Jeffries, the former head of TSA security at Los Angeles Airport, said the only long-term solution is to break the congressional impasse and get DHS fully funded again.

“There is no substitute — and I don’t even think ICE would disagree with that,” he said.

—-

Associated Press reporter Kevin Freking contributed.

House party reportedly draws more than 500, shots fired as crowd dispersed: Celina PD

Celina Police made multiple arrests after being called to a large gathering with more than 500 teens and young adults in attendance, Celina Police Chief John Cullison said in a statement.

Officers were called to the residence in the 800 block of Choate Parkway Saturday night.

Cullison said the incident drew between 500 and 800 attendees, thanks to a social media post advertising a party.

Celina Police arrested one individual for driving under the influence. Another person was taken into custody on an active warrant out of Dallas County for aggravated assault.

Officers stayed in the area following their initial response, and as the crowd began to disperse, multiple gunshots were reportedly heard near the home.

Police immediately entered the home to search for potential victims, but nobody was found to be injured by gunfire.

“Scenes like these highlight the very real risks and dangers associated with large, unsupervised gatherings, especially when fueled through social media and potentially involving underage alcohol or substance abuse,” Cullison said. “As both your Chief of Police and a parent, I strongly encourage parents in our community to use this incident as a catalyst for having open and direct conversations with their sons and daughters about personal responsibility, wise decision making, and the dangers that can quickly intensify in such environments.”

NBC 5 asked Celina Police to provide more details, but they said they cannot do so due to the ongoing investigation.

Military plane with 121 aboard crashes in Colombia, killing at least 1 and injuring 77

A military transport plane with 121 people on board, mostly soldiers, crashed shortly after taking off Monday in southwestern Colombia, killing at least one person and leaving at least 77 injured, officials said.

Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez said on X that the “tragic accident” occurred in Puerto Leguizamo, a remote municipality in the Amazonian province of Putumayo, which borders the neighboring South American countries of Peru and Ecuador.

Images shared online by Colombian media outlets showed a black cloud of smoke rising from a field where the plane crashed and a truck with soldiers rushing to the site.

The air force said in a statement that at least 77 people were rescued from the crash site with injuries, as rescue efforts were continuing. At least one person was confirmed dead, according a statement from the military command posted online by Colombian President Gustavo Petro.

The air force said that 121 people were on board the Hercules C-130 plane, including 110 soldiers and 11 crew members. It said the plane had been transporting soldiers to another city in Putumayo province. Officials earlier had said 125 people were on board.

Media outlets shared videos of soldiers being rushed from the site on motorcycles driven by local residents.

Carlos Fernando Silva, the commander of Colombia’s air force, said details of the crash were not yet known, “except that the plane had a problem and went down about two kilometers from the airport.”

The air force commander added that two planes, with 74 beds, had been sent to the area to fly the injured back to hospitals in the capital, Bogota, and elsewhere.

Petro seized on the accident to promote what he called his longtime campaign to modernize planes and other equipment used by his country’s military, saying those efforts have been blocked by “bureaucratic difficulties” and suggesting that some officials should be held accountable. “If civilian or military administrative officials are not up to the challenge, they must be removed,” Petro said.

Critics of the president pointed out that aircraft had been given less flight hours under the Petro administration due to budget cuts, which leads to less experienced crews.

Erich Saumeth, a Colombian aviation expert and military analyst, said that the Hercules C-130 that crashed on Monday had been donated by the United States to Colombia in 2020. Three years later, it went through a detailed revision known as an overhaul, in which its engine was inspected and key components were replaced.

“I don’t think this plane crashed because of a lack of good parts,” Saumeth said. He said that investigations will have to determine why the engines of the Hercules, which has four propellers, failed so quickly after take off.

In a message on X Monday, Defense Minister Sánchez said that so far there were no signs indicating that the plane was attacked by rebel groups that operate near Puerto Leguizamo.

Sánchez wrote that the accident was “profoundly painful for the country,” adding that: “We hope that our prayers can help to relieve some of the pain.”

Air Canada passenger seated at emergency exit says pilots' actions saved lives

The trouble for Air Canada Express Flight 8646 began with a problem on a different plane.

It was a misty Sunday night at New York’s LaGuardia Airport, almost midnight. As the Canadian regional jet flew from Montreal toward the airport, a United plane that hadn’t yet taken off from LaGuardia needed help: Flight attendants were feeling ill from a strong odor in the cabin, audio transcripts with air traffic controllers show.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey dispatched a fire and rescue truck to assist the United plane. Meanwhile, in the skies above, Air Canada passenger Rebecca Liquori was dozing in her seat by the exit row after a quick weekend trip to Montreal for a relative’s baby shower. The return flight had been delayed by a couple of hours, and Liquori, 35, of North Baldwin, New York, was exhausted.

Follow live updates here.

An announcement on board woke Liquori. “If this flight has an emergency landing,” she recalled a flight attendant saying over the loudspeaker as the plane started descending, “don’t take your luggage with you. Just exit quickly.”

The descent was turbulent, the roughest she had experienced, said Liquori, a registered nurse. But the wheels touched down.

And then came the crash.

“It was like a grinding sound. Then, a couple seconds after that, you just felt the collision,” she said. “It was like the loudest boom I’ve ever heard.”

Flight 8646 and the fire truck collided on LaGuardia’s Runway 4 at around 11:45 p.m. Sunday, killing the two pilots and injuring about 40 people on board and two people in the truck, authorities say. The precise sequence of the collision and what caused it aren’t yet clear; aviation experts say investigators will look at the possibility of radio failures, failed runway crossing procedures and human error, among other factors.

In air traffic control audio recordings, a controller appears to have told the vehicle to cross the runway before then saying, “Truck 1, stop.” After the collision, an air traffic controller is heard on the audio saying: “I messed up.”

The Federal Aviation Administration, the National Transportation Safety Board and other agencies are investigating the crash, which tore off the nose of the aircraft, leaving mangled parts of the front of the plane dangling toward the ground.

After the crash, passengers were confused and screaming in panic, Liquori said. Some were bleeding.

“We didn’t know what was going on, if the plane was going to combust,” she said. “Everybody was scared. Everybody thought they were going to die.”

Liquori’s thoughts turned to her sons, who are 4 and 2 years old. She wondered whether she would hear them laugh again or get to tickle them again or ever come home to hear them ask, “Mommy, can I give you a hug?”

Sore from the jolt of the collision but determined to help passengers off the plane as quickly as possible, she opened the emergency exit.

“As a nurse, I know that in emergency situations, it’s kind of best to move with haste,” she said. Passengers streamed out, jumping off the wing. She estimated that she was off the jet within three or four minutes.

At a news conference Monday afternoon, New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani praised emergency personnel for their quick response.

“I also want to commend those who were thrust into a frightening accident and reacted not only with composure, but by extending a hand to the person next to them, passengers who opened the emergency door and helped one another off the plane, people who kept one another calm,” he said.

Fatal air accidents are rare, especially at LaGuardia, one of the country’s busiest airports. Sunday’s collision happened 34 years to the day after a Cleveland-bound USAir flight crashed shortly after takeoff from the airport in 1992, killing 27 of the 51 people on board, including the pilot.

Officials haven’t released the identities of the two pilots who died Sunday. Liquori said she felt them brake to try to slow the plane down ahead of the crash, protecting the 72 passengers and four crew members as much as they could.

“I’m just so appreciative that they were able to save us, but I’m just so sad that they weren’t able to make it home to their families,” she said, her voice breaking. “I wouldn’t be here had it not been for the pilot acting quickly.”

LaGuardia Airport 12 hours ago

‘I messed up': Air traffic control audio reveals frantic moments before, after LaGuardia crash

LaGuardia Airport 19 hours ago

Pilot, co-pilot killed after plane collides with truck on runway at LaGuardia Airport

Joseph, another passenger on the flight who asked to be identified by his first name only because of public speaking restrictions by his employer, was on the flight with his fiancée. He said they sustained minor injuries, including abrasions and bruising. Like Liquori, he credited the pilots with braking and saving people.

“I fully believe that these two pilots, who unfortunately lost their lives, did everything in their power to stop the plane and slow it down at the very last minute,” he said. “They deserve all the credit for being heroes that day.”

FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford expressed his sympathy to the pilots’ families at Monday’s news conference.

“These were two young men at the start of their careers,” Bedford said. “It’s an absolute tragedy.”

Liquori hasn’t been able to sleep since the crash. She said that every time she closes her eyes, she hears the sound of her fellow passengers screaming.

“This is surreal to me,” she said. “I’m just grateful to be alive.”

Sam Brock and Michelle Cho contributed.

Dallas begins removing decorative crosswalks under state order

Work began Monday to remove 30 decorative crosswalks across North Texas, with crews starting in Dallas, following a state directive requiring the city to comply with uniform roadway standards.

“It’s my community that’s constantly being erased in this city,” Dr. Hanson said. Hanson and his husband own Common Ground Games off Inwood Road and said they are very connected to the Oak Lawn community.

“I came to have lunch and to witness the removal of the crosswalks. They said they were going to start today, and I expected them to take a little bit longer. But it was gone when I got here at 11:30 a.m.,” Hanson said.

The effort comes after the Texas Department of Transportation notified the city in October 2025 that decorative pavement markings do not meet guidelines outlined in the Texas Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. Dallas sought an exception to preserve several community-designed crosswalks, but the request was denied in January. The city then submitted a compliance plan committing to bring the crossings into conformity within 90 days.

“This was funded by the community. And then to have taxpayer dollars be used to remove it, it doesn’t make any sense,” Hanson said.

The North Texas LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce created a fundraiser for the rainbow crosswalks in 2019. Members of the community and organizations, including the Cedar Springs Merchants Association, contributed to help fund the crosswalks.

In Dallas, Oak Lawn, a historically LGBTQ+ neighborhood, showed remnants of paint and partially covered lines Monday afternoon, leaving a noticeably subdued atmosphere.

“When I see us trying to be visible and to have that taken away, it’s disgusting,” Hanson said.

City officials have said they were warned noncompliance could risk state and federal funding.

Residents and community leaders expressed frustration not only with the removals but also the speed at which they occurred.

“Are they moving that fast to do potholes? No. But they came out here very quickly to take off publicly funded rainbow crosswalk that affected no one,” Hanson said.

A total of 30 crosswalks recognizing Black and LGBTQ+ communities are scheduled for removal in the coming weeks.

“It feels like we’re being erased,” Hanson said.

Jacob Reyes with Texas Latino Pride said the changes are discouraging but emphasized the community’s strength.

“It’s a little sad,” Reyes said. “What I am aware of is that this LGBTQ community is adaptable, and we’re resilient.”

Reyes said the neighborhood has responded with visible expressions of identity and support.

“There are so many people here in Oak Lawn and Cedar Springs who are willing to invest in this neighborhood in so many other ways. I mean, look around, this is still an LGBTQ district. We still support our small businesses. We still have pride flags hanging across the neighborhood.”

“We painted our buildings. We had new flags installed. This is all the work of community members, and it’s an example of our resiliency,” Reyes said.

Under the city’s plan, the Office of Arts and Culture is exploring alternative ways to recognize neighborhood identity, including new public art initiatives. Community engagement sessions are also planned to gather input on future projects.

“This community is not going anywhere, whether people like it or not,” Reyes said. “Queer Texans are Texans, and we deserve to have our own spaces here.”

According to a city memo, compliant crosswalk markings will be completed by April 28, 2026.

Community engagement sessions are scheduled:

• April 6, 2026, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Theater Three, 2688 Laclede St. #120
• April 8, 2026, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at South Dallas Cultural Center, 3400 S. Fitzhugh Ave.
• April 10, 2026, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Reverchon Recreation Center, 3505 Maple Ave.

TEA advises Texas schools suspend instruction, activities related to Cesar Chavez

The Texas Education Agency (TEA) is advising school leaders and educators to cancel or redirect upcoming events and activities related to Cesar Chavez ahead of Cesar Chavez Day on March 31, according to a statement on Monday.

The letter of guidance for staff is in alignment with Texas Gov. Abbott’s recent directive and comes following the recent allegations of sexual abuse committed by Cesar Chavez.

Beyond optional holiday celebrations, under the currently adopted Social Studies Texas Essential
Knowledge and Skills (TEKS), students are required to learn about Chavez in multiple grades,
including 5th grade and US History.

In alignment with TEKS, school systems in Texas currently have instructional materials and other learning activities focused on Chavez.

The recent allegations will likely result in the removal of any material explicitly focused on Chavez, according to the release. The TEA is advising school systems in Texas to eliminate, modify and otherwise alter any learning
activities, individual lessons, and ancillary materials to remove references to Chavez.

Texas Education Code §28.0022(a)(1) provides that “a teacher may not be compelled to discuss a widely debated and currently controversial issue of public policy or social affairs,” and any related instructional materials that existed before these allegations became widely known would lead to conflicts with this statutory requirement.

The TEA said that their guidance, in the form of a letter to staff, serves as formal notice that they will not consider failure to teach any student expectation focused on Chavez as out of compliance with statutory
requirements related to TEKS coverage.

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Sex offender drops thumb drive full of child porn after compliance check, sheriff says

A Parker County resident faces felony charges in connection with a child pornography case, the Parker County Sheriff’s Office says.

William Raymond Catron, 66, was arrested on March 22 on first-degree felony charges of possession of child pornography and second-degree felony charges of failure to comply with sex offender registration, officials said.

According to Parker County Sheriff Russ Authier, Catron was arrested following a sex offender compliance check where he dropped a digital thumb drive device on the ground of the Parker County Sheriff’s Office (PSCO) parking lot as he was leaving, according to a release.

A visitor found the thumb drive on the ground and turned it over to the PCSO station personnel.

Their examination revealed more than 2,000 images and 100 videos of child pornography, as well as several “selfie” photographs of Catron.

A careful review of surveillance video captured earlier that day by PCSO exterior building cameras revealed footage of Catron retrieving his vehicle keys from his pocket, at which time the thumb drive is seen falling from Catron’s pocket to the ground.

Based upon surveillance camera footage, PCSO investigators determined that the thumb drive belonged to Catron and was in his possession during the compliance check that took place at the sheriff’s office earlier that day.

Catron was contacted and asked to return to the sheriff’s office, which he did, and was immediately taken into custody by PCSO investigators.

During a recorded interview, Catron provided PCSO investigators with a full confession regarding his possession of child pornography.

After executing a search warrant at the residence of Catron, PCSO investigators found additional electronic devices suspected of containing child pornography.

After analysis of the contents of Catron’s digital devices, Judge Craig Towson of the 43rd District Court issued additional arrest warrants for Catron on March 20.

Catron is accused of first-degree felony possession of child pornography (depicts sex assault of a child under the age of 10 years) and second-degree felony failure to comply with sex offender registration.

The sheriff’s office said Catron was booked into the Parker County Jail without incident, and his bond was set at $750,000. It’s unclear if he’s obtained an attorney to speak on his behalf.

Verizon is giving away FIFA World Cup tickets. Here's how to enter the giveaway

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is less than three months away and Verizon has free merchandise and tickets to give away, including a trip to the final.

Verizon is the official telecommunication services sponsor for the World Cup, which begins June 11 and ends July 19.

Verizon has already given away thousands of tickets to customers and there are still thousands more remaining, according to a release.

On March 27, at 2 p.m., Verizon will release hundreds of additional free tickets for three matches in Arlington, including two Round of 32 matches (M78, M88) and a Round of 16 match (M93).

In all, nine World Cup matches will be played in Arlington.

Only Verizon mobile and home customers are eligible. They can sign up for the contest to try and win tickets by going to the myAccess section of the My Verizon App or the Verizon Access portal on the web.

Verizon has multiple FIFA World Cup promotions for customers. Here’s what you need to know:

• Final Game Flyaway Sweepstakes
  • The prize: Customers can win an all-inclusive experience, including a 3-day, 2-night trip for two to attend the Final in New York/New Jersey on July 19, 2026; airfare and hotel included
  • Who can enter: Verizon mobile and home customers
  • Entry window: March 16 – March 31 via Verizon Access
• Tickets for Round of 16 and 32 matches in Dallas (M78, M88 and M93)
  • Who can claim: Verizon mobile and home customers
  • When: March 27 at 2 p.m., first-come, first-served via Verizon Access
  • *Travel and accommodation not included*
• Verizon Small Business Sweepstakes
  • The prize: Verizon Small Business customers can win tickets to select matches
  • Who can enter: Verizon Business wireless customers
  • Entry window: March 26 – April 10 via My Verizon for Business App
• Verizon x Motorola Razr Sweepstakes
  • The prize: Tickets to matches as well as a chance to win a Motorola Razr FIFA World Cup 2026 Edition smartphone and Moto Buds Loop earbuds
  • Who can enter: Verizon mobile and home customers
  • Entry window: April 15 – April 24, via Verizon Access
• Where to get free FIFA World Cup 2026 Merchandise
  • The prize: Throughout the month of April, Verizon will drop FIFA World Cup 2026 branded merchandise, including blankets, coolers, scarves, bags, water bottles, towels and tumblers
  • Who can claim: Verizon mobile and home customers
  • When: Drops throughout the month of April 2026, first-come, first-served, via Verizon Access

For more information and terms and conditions, visit the Verizon website.

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Woman awarded more than $19M in sexual battery lawsuit against Bill Cosby

A woman who accused actor and comedian Bill Cosby of sexual assault more than 50 years ago was awarded more than $19 million Monday by a Santa Monica jury in her lawsuit.

Jurors reached the verdict on the third day of deliberations. The panel also determined that Motsinger is due punitive damages, but that amount was to be determined later Monday, according to attorneys for the plaintiff.

Punitive damages are typically awarded at the court’s discretion and not available in all cases. They usually are awarded as a punishment for harmful conduct.

In her sexual battery lawsuit against the 88-year-old Cosby, Donna Motsinger argued that he made daily visits for several days to the restaurant where she worked as a server in 1972. Motsinger, who had served Cosby at his table, claimed he followed her to her home in Mill Valley, just north of San Francisco, pulled up next to her and asked if she’d like to see one of his shows in San Carlos, according to the civil case complaint.

Motsinger was later picked up in a limousine and was given a glass of wine by Cosby, according to the lawsuit. She began to feel sick and was given what she believed was an aspirin, but soon began to lose consciousness, according to the lawsuit.

Attorneys for Cosby said he did not remember any sexual contact with Motsinger, but if any occurred, it was consensual. The same lawyers also denied giving Motsinger drugs without her permission.

Jennifer Bonjean, an attorney for Cosby, told reporters after the verdict that she was “disappointed” by the decision and the case will be appealed.

Motsinger said she was glad that Cosby will be held accountable.

“It has been 54 years to get justice, and I know it’s not complete for the rest of the women, but I hope it helps them a little bit,” she said outside court, the New York Times reported.

She said the financial damages were “icing on the cake.”

In June 2022, another Santa Monica civil jury found Bill Cosby liable for sexually abusing Judy Huth at the Playboy Mansion in 1975, when she was 16 years old. The panel awarded Huth $500,000.

Cosby was convicted in 2018 of sexually assaulting Andrea Constand in 2004. He served three years in prison, but his conviction was overturned in 2021 and he was released from custody.